Weekend Observations, Twister edition

For a solid 3 months now, Tristan and Rachel have been saying to me: “You have to meet Ted.” To which I would always reply, “Why? Why must I meet Ted?”

I finally found out this weekend. And if you know anything about me, you know that I find nothing as funny as random, out-of-the-blue comments/observations and non-sequiturs. Why do you think I have such an affinity for Jack Donaghey and/or the movie Bottle Rocket? Anyway, Ted is a former poker-dealer-turned-Senate-staffer who lives with Will.

Where Will has perfected the art of quoting Will Ferrell movies, wearing manscarves (see previous post), and acting inappropriate in most social situations, Ted has perfected the art of telling life stories on demand, wearing emo glasses, and casually dropping non-sequiturs into conversation.

About two weeks ago (before I ever met Ted), I was told to clear my schedule for this past weekend, as we were going to celebrate Ted’s birthday. Schedule was cleared, but no one got their shit together enough to plan a party, so Rachel, Tristan and I took over and planned the “Gin Destroyer* Twister Party.”

This party featured—you guessed it—Twister, “99” (a “drinking” game that really had no drinking rules, so we made them up, including the VERY mature rule that everyone must drink on “69”), a Black Jack tutorial (Turns out Vince Vaughn was right, always double down on 11), Miller High Life 40s, Gin Destroyers (courtesy of Mixmaster Mike), and a home video of Will (Not that kind of home video, thank god).

Turns out Twister was not on Ted’s list of things he wanted to do for his birthday, and we’re all pretty sure there’s some traumatic life story that goes along with his aversion to this CLASSIC PARTY GAME. And although my bracketed tournament idea didn’t really come to fruition, we had some pretty heated matches (Mike and Will are surprisingly limber).

I defy anyone to come up with a better last minute party idea than drunken Twister. (Rachel, I know about your Jello Wrestling theme, but I think that takes a lot of advanced planning. Maybe for Will’s birthday?)


*Gin Destroyer (n.) More suitable name for a "Gin Gimlet" or, Gin with a splash of lime juice.

Example: No, Mike, I will not order you a Gin Gimlet. That's the gayest sounding drink imaginable. It needs a manlier sounding name to reflect the potency of the drink. How about "Gin Destroyer?"

Weekend Observations, Rock n' Roll Edition.

Friday, after a dinner of cheese enchilada and chile rellenos, some friends and I headed to the Black Cat to see Washington Social Club, These United States, and Let’s French. WSC is my favorite local band and Rachel had wanted to see These United States live ever since hearing a couple of their tracks on a local “On Tap” music CD sampler.

Washington Social Club put on one of the best shows I’ve ever seen them play, and, Rachel has covered this in her blog, but they have one of the most “unique” fans (and now on-stage inspirations) I have ever had the unparalleled pleasure of witnessing. I am eagerly anticipating WSC’s follow-up album to “Catching Looks,” and hope they thank Pseudo-Jack Black, the most riveting dancer this side of the Mississippi, in their liner notes.

For my review of These United States, I will first refer you my previous post, which thoroughly explains my disdain for weather-related gear (ESPECIALLY RUBBER BOOTS) in non-weather appropriate conditions (indoors, for example).

I will then give my review of the band through the following collage of photos:

Although Will (pictured above in the manscarf) is almost always socially inappropriate, he manages to be fashionably approriate in an understated, yet seasonably acceptable manscarf. Kudos to you, Will.

In closing,

Gilbert's starting & the Mavs should consider a mascot change...OR why girls make more interesting sports fans.

You'd be hard-pressed to find any fan, male or female, more dedicated to a sports team than my friend Kristin is to the Dallas Mavericks. Their win/loss record determines her demeanor until the next game. Her mood of fury continued into the summer since the Mavs lost in the NBA finals this past season to a team that will go unmentioned (I don't want to rekindle any rage by mentioning the [cough]Heat[cough, cough]). She refused to speak to me after the Wizards ended the Mavs 12-game winning streak back in December.

That said, somehow I think that male and female sports fans have very different conversations about their favorite teams:

Kristin: Have you read your Wizzies boyfriend's blog on nba.com? He's either really funny or a huge a-hole

me: Yes. He's really funny. They interviewed him on the news last night . He was so cute . Cause he's gonna be a starter in the All Star game .

Kristin: I hate him. Because Dirk should be a starter .
By the way we lost last night and now the stinky suns have the best record in the NBA.

me: aw man. I HATE THE SUNS!!!!

me: That's OK, now Washington is #2 in the East. Behind the Pistons . Phoenix=sucky city, Detroit=sucky city

Kristin: Ya now we're behind the suns. But we beat them both times this year

me: good

Kristin: I HATE that new Nike commercial. With like 12 players . And there is not one Maverick . But there are 3 Suns . Dirk should be a starter .

me: I agree

Kristin: The Sun is a gay mascot

me: It's not even a planet!

Kristin: Nope. It's a ball of gay fire.

me: That a wizard on a horse would magically extinguish!

Kristin: exactly

me: I think your mascot needs a horn though. So it can join the land of mystical mascots .

Kristin: haha

me: A unicorn and a wizard would get along swimmingly. And if we played each other in the finals, it would be like "Magic: the Gathering."

me: Unicorns are more dangerous than real horses cause they have weapons attached to their heads. Tell Mark Cuban to THINK ABOUT THAT .

Kristin: haha. On one of those "super sweet 16" shows , this girl had a horn made to put on her white horse for her pictures , and it hit her in the face with it . Unicorns are not nice animals .

me: I know! Remember that time I rescued you from the unicorn attack? I mean, he did stab me in the leg, and I still can’t walk right, but that was a close call.

Kristin: I will never forget it.

Post-Holiday Mania: New Music Tuesday Edition

I guess some consider January/February to be a bit of a lull after the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Not so in the life of LG. Early 2007 is filled with many days of note (one being today).

Mon., Jan 15: MLK Day Observed. You won’t hear any Martin Luther King Jr. jokes from me. If you want that kind of riff raff, I suggest you rent “Jesus is Magic.” Comedic masterpiece of Sarah Silverman (who-by the way-AWESOME-is getting her own show on Comedy Central.).

“Guess what Martin. I had a fucking dream too.”

Well, I always look forward to a free day off work. (Aside: I was robbed of the free day this year by work, but I don’t blame Martin Luther King Jr for that. In fact, I bet he’d say that’s just the man holdin’ me down.)

2. Today, Jan 23: New Music Tuesday. I’ve been eagerly anticipating the drop of “Wincing the Night Away,” latest release from The Shins. So much so that I pre-ordered it online. It’s actually downloading now cause I got home from work late. The man is holding me back AGAIN. Dammit. I wish I had a review to give, but for now, you can settle for this guy’s. Today also marked the release of the new album by Of Montreal, “Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?”. Which I also pre-ordered, except this time on Amazon.com. I guess it’s en route. So you can read this awesome review and listen to one of the MP3s.

While we’re on the topic of music, I’ve got a few concerts on the horizon, Jack’s Mannequin at 9:30 club, Stellastarr* at Rock N’Roll Hotel (I saw them at 9:30 last year and they were great. RnR Hotel is like a quarter the size of 9:30. Soo this should be double tight. It’s really beyond me how a band CAN’T be awesome with an asterisk in it’s name. In fact, I might change my name to Lesliee*.) Oh and Lily Allen at 9:30. Unless my best friend decides to ruin my life by scheduling her engagement party for the same day. I am trying to bribe her by giving her a ticket to the show, though.

3. Sun., Feb. 4: Proenza Schouler fucking launches their Target line!!! The guys who make this: http://www.style.com/fashionshows/collections/F2006RTW/complete/thumb/PSCHOULER

Are bringing me this: http://www.nitrolicious.com/blog/2006/12/04/proenza-schouler-for-target-lookbook/

I obviously won’t be blogging that day because my laptop doesn’t get wireless at Target. Anyone who has ever gone shopping with me and has experience my “designer fashion trance” will understand my state of mind. So if you have any confessions you need to get off your chest and just want it to go in one ear and out the other, you should join me. I won’t be able to repeat anything because I won’t be listening to you. I’ll just be nodding my head while I pillage the rack for my size.

Or, if in the future you want to play like you told me something, but really didn’t…like if I call you out on not inviting me to something, you can just be like…"yeah, remember, we were at Target, you were trying on Proenza Schouler…?”

“Oh yeaaaaaah. Right.”

First Snow

After weeks of above-normal temps, even Republicans were beginning to believe that Al Gore might be on to something. But now that Washington has had it’s first snow, I can finally wear my $30 green rubber rain/snow boots that I bought at Marc Jacobs in San Francisco this fall.

You might say, “But Leslie, you don’t need an excuse to wear cute boots.” And to that I say, “I have a personal problem with people wearing ‘weather’ gear on sunny, 70 degree days.”

I’ll recall a day I spent this summer at my friend Rachel’s pool. We decided that we’d had enough lying out in the sun and decided to go to Target to buy a new chair for her dining room. Don’t question our random decision making processes.

Flash forward to aisle 17, the home furnishings aisle, and I look over to see this 20-something girl in a tank top, shorts, and knee-high rubber wellies with flowers painted all over them. First of all, don’t get me started on how HOT her feet must be covered in rubber during the dead of summer. Second of all, you LOOK RIDICULOUS.

Same thing with Uggs. I’ve seen people wear them to the beach. Not only is that unnecessary, it’s borderline retarded.

Finally, for everyone that needs to know the appropriate way to wear winter weather gear, just refer to this guy:

Fashionably Late with my Golden Globes Review...

Obviously, I’ve been missing in action for a bit. I was on Vacay (in Tejas, as reported previously), then on vacay again (cruise to St. Thomas, St. Lucia, Barbados, Dominica & Antigua).

[Photo I took in Antigua]

So this is going to be a short update as I get my life in order.

1. I missed the season premiere of The Hills, but fully anticipate MTV re-running it 18 times this weekend and catching it then. Early reports from friends (i.e. Kfo) indicate it’s going to be awesome.

2. Although I was dismayed by some of the Hollywood Foreign Press’s decisions at the Golden Globes this year (how in the hell did Ugly Betty beat Weeds?), they redeemed themselves for all of their poor choices with the selection of Alec Baldwin as best actor in a comedy. Listen to the message Alec left me this week: http://30rock.nbc.com/receiver.php?key=C7E788C5A9709C106117232E51AEA921

3. Speaking of Golden Globes, I am finally ready to release my best and worst dressed list. Honorable "BEST" mentions go to Sienna Miller (although she's the only one who could ever pull that off), Kate Winslet, and America Ferrara (even though I am still bitter about the Ugly Betty-over-Weeds thing).

BEST--Reese in a beautiful, vibrant canary yellow (THE color this season) Nina Ricci dress.

WORST-- Cameron. Please go back to blonde. And I used to admire your style choices, but this dress is a train wreck.

BEST: Jennifer Hudson. Tasteful, Classic, and perfect for her shape. I usually don't like gowns with sleeves, but she works it.

WORST: Courtney Cox or Jennifer Love Hewitt. I can't decide which is worse. Although I like Cox & Arquette and can't really stand Hewitt, both look equally terrible.

BEST: Alec--A sense of humor looks fabulous on EVERYONE.

As Predicted, Fashion Miracles Abound Deep in the Heart of Texas.

Although the universe tried to keep us apart by canceling my flight to Dallas Friday night, I eventually arrived the next day to visit my “BFFE” Kfo (Kristin). Fashionably late, I guess. Didn’t the universe get the memo? Punctuality is the new black.

Sunday consisted of a lot of football watching, manis & pedis, and the last round of binge drinking I’ll do for a while. We spent the first 30 minutes of 2007 (from what I’m told by bystanders) doing things that would get our Miss USA crowns taken away. That is why only we will ever see the pictures/video footage. Around 12:30 am, we exited Billy Bob’s, slept in the back of the biggest pickup truck I have ever been in on the way home, and then vomited red Gatorade. Kristin tricked her mom into thinking she had alcohol poisoning. Cool prank, Krisitn!

We didn’t get out of bed until 8pm the next day. We had planned on going out for sushi for dinner that night, but opted to go to Olive Garden instead as pasta was about all we could stomach at that point. Then we came home and watched the Devil Wears Prada.

So basically, we had to fit Dallas “culture” (trip to the science museum), shopping, and a Mavs game into one day. We hit Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and Barney’s. Dressing room shenanigans ensue whenever we’ve got piles of designer clothes to try on and cameras. Kristin tried on the cutest Diane Von Furstenburg trenchcoat, but alas, it was not included in the sale. We snapped a pic of her in it, though. I tried on a silk DVF dress (black with her signature hot pink lips printed all over it) for the cameras.



















Kristin ended up buying the DVF jacket I that tried on but was too small for me. It’s a stretch wool black jacket that can also be worn as a blazer, wrap, or cardigan. It’s classic and ultra-versatile. Originally $400, marked down to $150. Meanwhile I was stewing because they were out of my size and I had jacket jealousy now that Kristin was getting it. But, being the best friend she is, she inquired about finding it at another store for me. They didn’t have it in DC, but the sales lady offered to order it in and ship it to me.


Matching Black DVF jackets at 70% off: FASHION MIRACLE!

At Barney’s, we tried on a lot of Marc Jacobs, but agreed the DVF purchase was better than the MJ selections. I almost bought a silk sundress by Cynthia Vincent, but noticed a small snag in the fabric and it was their last one. I was bummed, but figured I’d be able to find it on a site somewhere. So I searched all around yesterday online to find it. Barney’s online, Neimans, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, ShopBop, Pinkmascara.com, you name it, I checked it. Then, today my friend Sarah, who lives in New York, sent me a link to a sale for a new site I hadn’t heard of before: UrbanChic.com.

I decided it was worth a shot. And alas, FASHION MIRACLE #2. I never would have given the dress a second look online, but loved it in person and when I tried it on. And it’s 50% off. And after UPS ships it, it will be mine.



To cap off my Dallas trip, we went to the Dallas Mavericks game Tuesday night. They pummeled the Seattle Supersonics (who both Kfo and I agree have uniforms the color of dirt green) and my fave NBA player, Dirk Nowitski scored 31 points even though he was sick. Kristin also came up for a name for the too-short spandex “skorts” worn by the Mavs dancers: Skunderwear.



Yee-Haw.